Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.31306/s.67.2.1
The incidence of skin and respiratory symptoms in healthcare workers caused by the use of latex gloves at work
Hana Knežević Krajina
; Dom zdravlja Zagreb-Centar, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Milan Milošević
orcid.org/0000-0001-9008-7645
; Škola narodnog zdravlja "Andrija Štampar", Zagreb, Hrvatska
Bojana Knežević
orcid.org/0000-0001-5525-3775
; Klinički bolnički centar Zagreb, Zagreb, Hrvatska
*
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
The incidence of allergy to latex in healthcare workers is ten times higher than in the general population. The risk of developing this allergy to latex in healthcare has been known for many years. Some countries have banned the practice of using medical latex gloves with powder due to the chance of spreading latex particles in the aerosol and thus resulting in respiratory diseases among the workers as well as patients exposed to them. In Croatian healthcare latex gloves are in widespread use. The aim of this study was to establish the incidence of skin and respiratory symptoms in healthcare workers caused by wearing latex gloves in their professional duties, in particular those symptoms that indicate the presence of allergy to latex. The study relied on the American Questionnaire for Allergy Screening translated into Croatian. The 455 subjects in the study came from two Zagreb hospitals and consisted of 361 nurses and technicians, 71 physicians and 23 other staff members. The results revealed that almost one half of the subjects had skin symptoms related to wearing latex gloves. Rash was found in 18.5%, 7% showed symptoms in the upper respiratory system, and 1.5% in the lower respiratory system. The spreading of the latex protein in the aerosol caused respiratory symptoms in certain people. The use of latex gloves with powder constitutes additional risk of exposure to latex, not only for the individual wearing them but also for the co-workers and patients via aerosol. It is important to raise awareness of the health risk related to latex gloves. Persons reporting symptoms should be referred to take allergy tests. In view of the findings, medical gloves without latex should be secured in order to protect the health of people at work.
Keywords
healthcare workers, allergy, latex, medical gloves
Hrčak ID:
333015
URI
Publication date:
1.7.2025.
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